BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- A Pomeranian found trapped in a bag in West Roxbury is on the mend at the MSPCA-ANGELL facility in Jamaica Plain--and the organization is looking for the person who abandoned her.
The MSPCA said in a release that Andrea DesJardins was walking near Center and Willow Streets in West Roxbury on Friday, May 18 when she spotted a backpack under a bush--and noticed the backpack was moving.
When she opened it, a little brown Pomeranian came out.
If you didn't know any better, you'd think she was a stuffed animal.
"Had DesJardins not rushed her to the MSPCA she easily could have died from exposure or starvation," MSPCA spokesperson Rob Halpin wrote in the release.
But besides being cold and dehydrated, MSPCA's Anna Rafferty-Fore told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe the dog is fine.
"Other than some dental disease, she doesn't seem to be in really poor health," she said.
The staff named the friendly dog Jan. They said she is about nine years old, and is likely partially or totally deaf--but that doesn't slow her down!
Now that she's safe and sound, the organization's attentions are turning toward finding the person who abandoned her.
Jan may have been trapped in the bag for a day or more.
Halpin noted that abandoning a dog is a felony crime in Massachusetts, and that the person could face up to seven years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
"Abandonment is a crime," Rafferty-Fore said. "We don't condone that. We are trying to be such a presence in the community and help whenever we can, so situations like this don't happen. We are very grateful that she came in when she did."
Rafferty-Fore said there's a lot of interest in Jan, so she'll likely go to a great home soon.
"We're just keeping her here for her stray hold, continuing to evaluate her, and then we have a line of people hoping to adopt her," said . "So don't you worry about this girl, she's going to have a great option."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports